My relationship with consumer electronics has changed over the years, where I’m finding that I don’t really need most of the bells and whistles that high-end tech gear offers, especially smartphones. I rarely play mobile games, I don’t fancy myself as a phone photographer, and I’ve been trying to wean myself off doomscrolling by generally reducing my phone use.
It also doesn’t help that flagship phones from Apple, Samsung, Google and more have become more expensive than ever, so much so that anything under AU$1,000 for decent specifications are now considered bargains.
The base models of the iPhone 17 and the Google Pixel 10 start from AU$1,399 and AU$1,349, respectively, while the creme de la creme iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2 TB of storage costs an eye-watering AU$3,799 – or about the same as a small, second-hand car. I am not spending that much money when I wouldn’t really use those flagship features to their maximum potential.
Fortunately, there are already a few noteworthy deals for some very capable phones for under the AU$1,000 mark – and most Black Friday sales haven’t even officially started yet! This price range can still give you great performance, decent cameras and even lots of storage and a 120Hz display. Oh, and if you can believe it, a brand new iPhone is available at this sub-AU$1,000 price point!
These aren’t necessarily the flashiest nor the most powerful phones on the market, but they’re still very capable devices that will be great for most users. You could even consider these as great Christmas gifts for loved ones who could use a nice new phone – and they won’t cost an arm and a leg.
